We began our New Year with a vibrant mural painted on the outside wall of Katkatha puppet studio in Tughlaqabad, Delhi. Artist Mike Benevenia showed the participants lots of books and images of plants found in Delhi.
Participants came up with the idea of transforming their lane into “Sapno ki Gali” (a lane of dreams). They filled the wall with various plants, flowers, animals, out of the world creatures and children in the midst of this wonderland.
In September 2019, artist Avinash Karn led a three days mural painting workshop with 20 children from Sankalp Welfare Society, Gurgaon.
We discussed about environmental threats to the biodiversity of Gurgaon and participants created drawings re-imagining the city, where humans and animals co-exist. Avinash also introduced them to the vibrant Madhubani painting style from Bihar.
Together they created this beautiful mural painting on the school wall.
Over two intensive days in August, Ita Mehrotra from Artreach India team worked with twenty participants both from SAN-KER center at Shillong and from Reach NGO. Participants made beautiful nature studies, collective drawings in teams and their first comics based on super powers that would let them achieve their dreams, that ranged from saving children to having flying horses that could ride them anywhere!
We are grateful to Dr. Sandy and his team for hosting and assisting us lead the workshop and to Khublei for making this happen.
SAN-KER is a Shillong based charity that provides mental health care for all. Reach NGO works with children off the street. This workshop was in partnership with Khublei.
Delhi based visual artist, Akshay Sethi led a 3 days mural painting workshop with 30 children from Tara Outreach Center (https://www.taraindia.org/fr). It was a fun filled experience for the kids. They started with playing theater games, imagining to be an object of their choice and acting out it’s movements. Children then created their very own characters out of objects they use in daily life.
Together they came up with stories about angry sharpener, broken pencil, a TV who wants to sleep and a plastic bottle drinking an entire river.
10 boys from Place of Safety, Juvenile Home painted breathtaking mural painting, reimaging Delhi, in which a clean Yamuna flows through green fields and an elephant and a peacock are enjoying the view. We can also see metro crossing in front of distant Qutub Minar.
Artist Prasoon Poddar led the 2 days mural painting workshop, which has transformed the space entirely inside the Juvenile home.
We are grateful to The Yuva Ekta Foundation for inviting us into the home to work with the boys.
So excited to share images from our first Volunteer Residency workshop in Mumbai with 40 children from Salaam Baalak Trust. Artist Avantika Mathur led the children through day full of experimenting with mix media. She brought in lots of material for children to explore, including ear buds, bubble sheets, masking tape, threads, newspaper etc.
Participants then transformed their dreams on paper using various techniques of painting and collage.
New Zealand based artist and designer Lucie Blaze led 20 girls from Khushi Rainbow Homes through 3 wonderful days of painting and drawing. Girls started with thinking about superpowers they have and drew themselves with their super powers.
Taking elements from each of their drawings, girls then painted their own characters on the main entrance door floating on little clouds, playing badminton, reading, dancing, singing and laughing.
We also have some hybrid animals painted in gond style on the other side of the door.
